Should Be Loved
by SlytherinTears
Summary: Christine Chapel attempts to ignore her feelings while trying to reunite an estranged Spock and Nyota.


Disclaimer: I own nothing. Gene Roddenberry is the God of the Star Trek universe.

A/N: This story has absolutely nothing to do with my other Spock/Chapel story, _A Question to the_ _Universe_. It is a completely different story. I am actually in the middle of writing a sequel, but I wanted to do something new, hence this story.

By the way, the title was inspired by the Blue October song "Should Be Loved." Go listen to it as soon as possible, it's amazing.

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Christine Chapel strapped herself into her seat, tightening the harness until it pressed into her shoulders. Despite the fact that she had spent her entire adolescence on starbases with her father and had used shuttles as a normal mode of transportation for years, she always hated them.

She looked up to see Starfleet officers begin to file onto the shuttle. She recognized a couple of them from the rescue mission three months prior. Since then, the _U.S.S. Enterprise _had been refit and repaired. Now, it was ready for duty and hours within its official launch.

A familiar Southern gruff addressed her. She looked up to see Senior Medical Officer Leonard McCoy staring down at her. "Well, what do you know, Chapel. I thought you were going to that Deneva colony." He took a seat next to her and began to strap himself in.

"The Vulcan colony requested Doctor M'Benga to assist in the reconstruction. Starfleet called me about a week ago and asked if I could take his place as Head of Exobiology."

"And with that came a promotion in rank, I see." He nodded towards the single bold line on her blue sleeve.

"Well, I suppose I should congratulate you. Too bad Jim'll be livid to find you out of that little nurse number." He winked at her.

"Oh, don't even, McCoy. I still don't understand how he was made Captain."

"Well, Chapel, next time you assist in saving the human race, I suppose you would get a push up the ol' promotion ladder. But until then --"

"Until then, I will become a Captain the old-fashioned way -- hard work and no cheating."

"Let it go, Chapel, he only cheated _once_."

"Cheating is cheating, McCoy. It's unethical."

"You're an exobiologist, don't preach to me about ethics. If it were up to me, anyone who didn't have carbon-based blood running through their veins shouldn't be allowed on Federation ships. Makes it easier on the rest of us."

Christine rolled her eyes. McCoy's inherent xenophobia never ceased to amaze her. Suddenly, a new presence on the shuttle caught her eye. The newly-ordained Captain of the Enterprise strode in, grinning at McCoy. He took a seat on the medical officer's other side.

"Hell-o, nurse!" Kirk gave her a wink.

"Correction: Head of Exobiology." She crossed her arms and tightened her jaw, insistent on maintaining a professional air.

"Oh, you're the replacement Starfleet sent me?"

"Sent the _Enterprise_."

"Isn't that what I said?" He turned back to McCoy. "Let me tell you, Bones, being a Captain has its perks. I went on a date with Lorena Komack last night, and let's just say we hit it off quite well."

"Admiral Komack's daughter?"

Kirk grinned. "I've had my sights set on her since second year in Quantum Physics."

"Oh, give me a break…" Christine whispered under her breath. There was only one way to escape this.

"Gotta hand it to you, Jim -- You've got it made."

"That I do. Hey, where are you going?"

Christine, who was in the middle of escaping from her restraints, glared over at the two. "It's bad luck to sit on the starboard side of a shuttle," she lied.

Once she was free, she stood and grabbed her duffle bag in the overhead compartment. Despite the fact that her luggage was already being beamed aboard at that very moment, she could never be too careful -- You never know when you might need a spare change of uniform or an extra toothbrush.

"I'll see you in Sickbay, McCoy," she said before leaving.

"Do you think you'll need someone to escort you to your quarters, Chrystal?" Kirk called to her.

"It's _Christine_," she corrected him as she made her way up the aisle. "And don't count on it."

Despite the fact the he was Captain now, Christine was not going to allow Kirk to pull a fast one on her. Not today, not ever.

After nearly five minutes of searching for another place to sit, she finally found one in the back. There were a couple of free seats next to helmsmen Chekov and Sulu, who were discussing theoretical physics.

"Are these seats taken?"

"No, go ahead," Sulu said with a friendly smile.

"Thanks," she said, securing her bag in the overhead compartment. "I was sitting with Doctor McCoy, but Captain Kirk arrived and I figured it would be best to leave them to their business."

Christine sat down and began to strap herself in once again, hoping that this would be the final time. Just as she adjusted the final buckle, she noticed a looming presence nearby. Commander Spock had just entered the shuttle and was scanning the seats, looking for a place to sit. Christine wondered why in the Universe he was on this shuttle. Without warning, her stomach did a back flip; she wasn't sure if it was out of anxiety or happiness, nor did she wish to know.

His eyes froze on the spot between her and Ensign Chekov. He made up his mind and Christine watched him approach her. Her seatmates changed the subject at the sight of him.

"Did you hear about him and Uhura?" Sulu asked Chekov. Christine suddenly grew very uncomfortable and gripped onto the armrests.

He continued ."A few weeks ago, they decided to take some time apart. I can't really understand why they were together in the first place. She said something about him being emotionally unavailable, not to mention his inability to loosen up every once in a --" but Sulu was immediately silenced.

Spock's tall, lithe figure suddenly appeared, almost as if he knew that Sulu was talking about him. Knowing him, though, he probably did; Vulcan hearing was well beyond that of a Human.

"Is this seat taken, Lieutenant?" It took Christine a moment to realize he was talking to her, not Sulu or Chekov.

"Oh, it is, Commander. Please sit down," she said, motioning towards the available seat.

He did so and immediately strapped himself in very quickly, much faster than she would be able to. A moment of peculiar silence passed between them.

"I thought you were going to the new Vulcan colony to assist in the reconstruction, Commander. At least, that is what I heard."

"I plan to offer my services as Science Officer available to Captain Kirk once aboard. After a thorough evaluation, I have made the decision to resume my career in Starfleet."

"I am…" she momentarily searched for a word to that would downplay her internal enthusiasm. "…Glad to hear it, Commander. Starfleet would be unable to compensate after losing such a valuable officer." She suddenly realized that her comment probably sounded a little too fervent, if not flirtatious. She mentally kicked herself.

"I congratulate you on your promotion, Lieutenant. I understand that you have been made the Head of the Exobiology Department. I recall that you wished research to be your main focus."

She looked over at him. "Thank you, Commander."

Moments later, the overhead system signaled the shuttle's departure. Christine took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"You do not like to fly?" She opened her eyes at Spock's observation.

"It's not that, I just never liked shuttles very much."

He nodded. "It is understandable. They appear to be slightly less durable than starships, but I can assure you that they are at the top of their performance, safety-wise."

She knew he was doing his best to subside her anxiety, despite his incapacity to know what she was going through. After all, he never left his homeworld until the end of his adolescent years, while she never visited hers until she joined Starfleet.

She closed her eyes and tried to block out the constant vibration underneath her feet

They had been friends at the Academy, if you could ever even call it that. During laboratory sessions and such, they usually collaborated, him bringing knowledge of technicality and computer programming, while she brought her expertise in biology and life sciences to the table. Somewhere along the line, Christine began to feel something a little more stronger than friendship. After all of the week-long training cruises and research missions that they had gone on, she realized that she was in love with him -- and that their relationship would never work.

And that was why she had never pursued it.

The likelihood of a romantic relationship working between the both of them was very slim, if not impossible. Their friendship was too valuable to risk over some idiotic infatuation. Of course when she found out about him and Uhura, she was completely taken aback. Spock had never showed any sort of hinting towards interest in the beautiful cadet, let alone any woman. The day that Christine found out was the day that she dropped any interest in him whatsoever. She was happy for him and she was more than sure that they would be back together in no time.

Her thoughts were immediately disrupted by the sound of the shuttle leaving the Earth's atmohsphere. She peered out the window to see the Earth spacedock and the recently refitted _U.S.S. Enterprise, _ready for launch.

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A/N: Read and review please.


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